Adjustable boot jack

ABSTRACT

A boot jack to assist in the removal of tight-fitting boots which includes opposed gripping members which are connected at one end by a hinge and which have their remaining ends contoured to engage the heel of the boot. The two gripping members can be spread apart as the heel of the boot is inserted between the contoured ends, and a spring-loaded control member is provided which is engaged by the heel and which locks the opposed gripping members in a spaced-apart condition conforming to the size of the particular boot involved. A second control means is also provided for fine adjustment.

Unite ttes Patet Foster [451 mnZfiJWZ [54] ADJUSTABLE BOOT JACK [21] Appl. No.: 46,015

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 696,553 9/1940 Germany ..223/1 16 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Assistant Examiner-George H. Krizmanich Attorney-Freeman & Taylor [57] ABSTRACT A boot jack to assist in the removal of tight-fitting boots which includes opposed gripping members which are connected at one end by a hinge and which have their remaining ends contoured to engage the heel of the boot. The two gripping members can be spread apart as the heel of the boot is inserted between the contoured ends, and a spring-loaded control member is provided which is engaged by the heel and which locks the opposed gripping members in a spaced-apart condition conforming to the size of the particular boot involved. A second control means is also provided for fine adjustment.

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RONALD L. FOSTER 32 29 23 BY JWVW ATTORNEYS PATENTEDMAR28 I972 SHEET 2 OF 2 IN Viifil )R. RONALD L. FOSTER BY /uumvadfo ATTORNEYS ADJUSTABLE noo'r JACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to devices for assisting the wearer of tight-fitting boots in the removal of the same without assistance by other parties. Devices of this type are commonly referred to as boot jacks, and the present invention relates primarily to a jack which is adjustable to conform to varying sizes of boots.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Applicant is aware of boot jacks which are normally made of a solid piece of rigid material, such as wood, for instance, and which have a contoured opening at one end to receive the heel of the boot.

Applicant is also aware of certain prior art patents in which the jack is made of two opposed platform or gripping members which can be spread apart. The following patents show various forms of this second type of boot jack: French, U.S. Pat. No. 13,002; Sikes, U.S. Pat. No. 20,307; Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 63,121; Geer, U.S. Pat. No. 149,465; Witt, U.S. Pat. No. 227,939; Chromy, U.S. Pat. No. 1,290,911.

While the patents above-listed do disclose boot jacks which are adjustable to accommodate various sizes of boots, none of them show the unique control means which will automatically lock the opposed gripping members in the desired spacedapart condition to accommodate various sizes of boots, and it is this unique feature which is the subject of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As noted above, a common problem is encountered by the wearers of boots, and particularly western-style boots, since if properly fitted, these boots very tightly engage the foot and ankle of the wearer. It is extremely difficult, and if the boot is properly fitted, almost impossible, for the wearer to remove the boots by himself by hand.

This problem has long been recognized, and the prior art referred to above represents attempts to provide devices which will enable the wearer of boots of this nature to remove the same without assistance.

While the above-noted devices have been generally found satisfactory, it has been found by applicant that it is advantageous to provide a spring-loaded locking element which projects into the heel-receiving opening of the jack and which is normally held in the open position. It has been discovered that by providing such a locking element that when the heel of the boot is inserted into the opening to the appropriate depth, the heel will engage the locking member and lock it in place, thereby assuring that the jack will retain the desired spacing during removal of the boot regardless of the size thereof.

It has also been found advantageous to provide a second control means which permits fine adjustment of the locking element to accommodate unusual sizes.

Accordingly, production of an improved boot jack having the above-described characteristics becomes the principal object of this invention, with other objects thereof becoming more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification and interpreted in view of the accompanying drawings.

OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the improved boot jack.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof taken on the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the gripping members in spread apart condition.

FIG. 4 is a partial planar view similar to the view of FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the locking and control means in detail.

FIG. 5 is sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 OF FIG. 2.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the improved boot jack, generally indicated by the numeral 10, includes opposed gripping members 11 and 12 which are supported by support means 13 and M which are interconnected at one end by hinge 15 and at the other end by the first control means, which include the plate 20, the locking element 26, and the spring 30.

Considering first then the gripping members 11 and 112 in greater detail, it will be noted that the same are generally elongate and have first ends 11a and 12a and opposed second ends 11b and 12b. The first ends Illa and 12a are interconnected by means of a hinge 1.5, as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The second ends, 1112 and 12b of gripping members 11 and 112, have complementally contoured surfaces and 12c, with these surfaces being contoured so that together they form an open area which generally conforms to the configuration of the heel of a boot.

Turning next then to FIGS. 2 and 4 for a more detailed consideration of the first control means, it will be noted that the same include an elongate plate 20 which is mounted on the lower surface of one of the gripping members by means of the screw and nut 21. In the form of the invention shown, the plate is mounted on the gripping member 112, but it should be understood that the structure could be reversed if desired.

The opposed end 22 of plate 20 overlies the bottom of the remaining gripping member 11 and has an elongate slot 23 therein. A screw and nut arrangement 24 is received in this slot 23, and it is believed apparent that while the plate is thus retained on the bottom of the gripping members that spreading of the members 11 and 12 is unhindered thereby, since the slot 23 will merely slide along the screw 24. Plate 20 also has a series of notches 25, 25 on the edge closest to ends 11b and 12b of gripping members 11 and 12 for purposes which will be subsequently explained.

Considering still FIGS. 2 and 4, it will also be noted that a locking element 26 is pivotally mounted on the bottom of gripping member 11 by the screw and nut 27, and a plate 29 is also held down at one end by screw and nut 27. This plate has its other end secured by screw and nut 24. This arrangement helps to reinforce locking member 26 which is subjected to considerable force during removal of the boot. Without plate 29 the screw 24 would have to bear this load alone.

The locking member 26 also includes a projecting tooth 28, which is of appropriate size to engage notches 25, 25 and has an opposed contact surface 26a which normally projects into the open area which is bounded by the contoured surfaces 1 1c and 12c.

Attached to one end of the locking member 26 is one end of a spring 30 which has its other end attached to a screw 31, which is secured to the gripping member 112. This spring is also passed around the screw 32 which is mounted on the gripping member 111. The spring 30 serves to normally pivot the locking element 26 to the chain-dotted line position shown in FIG. 4. In this position the tooth 28 of the locking element 26 is out of engagement with the notches 25 on the plate 20. The spring 30, by virtue of being connected to both gripping members, also serves to pull them together into the closed position of FIG. 2.

In use or operation of the improved boot jack, it will be noted that the jack is normally placed on the floor or other supporting surface, as shown in FIG. 1. The first ends of the gripping members 11a and 12a will be on the floor, and the configuration of support members 13 and 14, which have their bottom surface cut on a bias, will cause the second ends of the gripping members lllb and 12b to be elevated, as shown clearly in FIG. 1, in order to engage the boot B. The remaining foot of the user, indicated at A, can be placed on the top surfaces of the gripping members for stability. At this time the locking element 26 will be in the chain-dotted line position of FIG. 4.

As the boot B is moved into the opening formed by surfaces 11c and 12c, the gripping members 11 and I2 will be spread apart, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. This spreading will continue until the gripping members are spread the appropriate distance apart to accommodate the specific size boot involved. At this point, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the heel of the boot will engage the contact surface 26a of the locking element 26 and will drive it from the chain-dotted line position of FIG. 4, for example, to the full line position thereof, at which time the tooth 28 will engage one of the notches 25, 25 of the plate 20. This will securely lock the jack in the spreadapart condition, the removal of the boot is accomplished by simply drawing the foot out of the same.

As soon as the boot is removed from the wearer's foot, it is taken out of the jack and the spring 30 will immediately bias the locking element 26 back to the chain-dotted line position of FIG. 4, thus permitting the jack to close, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, for example.

It should be noted that a stop element 40 is provided on the underside of gripping member 11 to limit the amount of rotation or pivoting of locking element 26 when the boot is removed from the jack. Once the boot has been removed and the locking element is pivoted back to the position of FIG. 4, the jack is ready to accommodate another boot of any size.

It should also be noted here that an additional fine adjustment is provided for unusual boot sizes. In this regard, the notches 25, 25 would be normally spaced to accommodate the most common sizes of boots, but in the event of any unusual size, the fine adjustment can be utilized.

Accordingly and referring particularly to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the plate has an elongate slot 51 therein. To adjust the mounting point of the plate 20 on gripping member 12, the screw 50 is turned to slide the plate 20 along the slot which, of course, will vary the positioning of the notches 25, with regard to the locking element 26. In this regard nut 21 is normally not tightened all the way down, so that plate 20 is free to move in the manner above-noted.

In this way, fine adjustment can be made while retaining the locking advantages set forth above.

Accordingly then, it has been shown how an improved adjustable boot jack can be provided, which can accommodate a wide range of boot sizes while yet being capable of being securely locked in position during the boot removal operation.

It should be noted that in the form of the invention illustrated, the gripping members 11 and 12 and the supporting members 13 and 14 are both made of wood, but it is understood that any sufficiently strong, rigid material could be employed, such as metal or plastic.

Accordingly then, while a full and complete description of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dietates of the patent statutes, modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable boot jack, comprising;

A. a pair of elongate gripping members, each having 1. a first end and 2. a second end contoured to engage the heel of a boot; B. said first ends of said gripping members being pivotally connected to each other 1. whereby said gripping members may be spread apart at said second ends; and C. first control means for automatically adjustably controlling the spacing between said second ends of said gripping members in response to pressure from the heel of said boot.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the presence of support means secured to each of said gripping members and supporting said members with their second ends in elevated condition.

3. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said first control means include A. an elongate plate having I. one end attached to one of said gri ping members and 2. the remaining end thereof over ymg said remaining gripping member and 3. having a plurality of notches in one edge thereof; B. a locking element 1. pivotally mounted on said remaining gripping member and 2. having at least one projecting tooth that is movable into and out of engagement with said notches in said plate.

4. The device of claim 3 further characterized by the presence of A. a spring having 1. one end attached to one of said gripping members and 2. its remaining end attached to said locking element and normally urging said locking element out of engagement with said plate.

5. The device of claim 4 further characterized by the fact that A. said second ends of said gripping members are complementally contoured to form a generally U-shaped open area at the projecting end ofsaid jack;

B. said spring normally urging said locking element into said opening.

6. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the presence of second control means for adjustably controlling the range of adjustability of said first control means between said first and second gripping members.

7. The device of claim 3 further characterized by the presence of means for adjusting the point of attachment of said plate to said gripping member. 

1. An adjustable boot jack, comprising; A. a pair of elongate gripping members, each having
 1. a first end and
 2. a second end contoured to engage the heel of a boot; B. said first ends of said gripping members being pivotally connected to each other
 1. whereby said gripping members may be spread apart at said second ends; and C. first control means for automatically adjustably controlling the spacing between said second ends of said gripping members in response to pressure from the heel of said boot.
 2. its remaining end attached to said locking element and normally urging said locking element out of engagement with said plate.
 2. a second end contoured to engage the heel of a boot; B. said first ends of said gripping members being pivotally connected to each other
 2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the presence of support means secured to each of said gripping members and supporting said members with their second ends in elevated condition.
 2. the remaining end thereof overlying said remaining gripping member and
 2. having at least one projecting tooth that is movable into and out of engagement with said notches in said plate.
 3. having a plurality of notches in one edge thereof; B. a locking element
 3. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that said first control means include A. an elongate plate having
 4. The device of claim 3 further characterized by the presence of A. a spring having
 5. The device of claim 4 further characterized by the fact that A. said second ends of said gripping members are complementally contoured to form a generally U-shaped open area at the projecting end of said jack; B. said spring normally urging said locking element into said opening.
 6. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the presence of second control means for adjustably controlling the range of adjustability of said first control means between said first and second gripping members.
 7. The device of claim 3 further characterized by the presence of means for adjusting the point of attachment of said plate to said gripping member. 